Chicken Colombo
A Creole chicken stew with Colombo spices, vegetables, and coconut milk. Makes about 4 servings; times are estimates.
The chicken is marinated with shallot, garlic, and Colombo spices, then slowly cooked with onion, eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, and coconut milk. Allow about 30 minutes for preparation, 45 minutes for cooking, and 2 hours for the chilled marinade.
Method
- 01
Marinate the chicken
Mix the shallot, 4 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of the Colombo spice blend, ground coriander, white wine vinegar, and water. Add the chicken and coat it well with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
10 min - 02
Brown the chicken and sauté
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Lift the chicken out of the marinade and reserve the liquid. Brown the pieces on both sides and transfer them to a plate. Add the onion, chili pepper, and remaining 2 garlic cloves; cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent.
10 min - 03
Simmer with the vegetables
Add the eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, lemon juice, thyme, rosemary, basil, and reserved marinade. Return the chicken to the pot. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
15 min - 04
Finish the Colombo
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the Colombo spice blend and stir. Cover and cook for another 20 minutes, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender. Stir in the coconut milk and remove from the heat once the sauce is hot and smooth.
20 min
Ingredients
Sources and review
Content researched, cross-checked and automatically validated. Sources consulted:
- Higiene de los alimentos www.aesan.gob.es/seguridad-alimentaria/higiene-alimentos
- The Consumption of Edible Leaves by Afro-Descendants in French Guiana and Suriname: An Overview of a Constantly Evolving Ethno-Culinary Practice | OpenAlex openalex.org/W7167514453
- guayana - 23 recetas caseras- Cookpad cookpad.com/do/buscar/guayana
- French Guiana Food: What to Eat, Where, and What It Costs hosteltoucan.com/en/blog/french-guiana-food-dishes-to-try-and-where/
- Recipes from French Guiana ~ Travel by Stove travelbystove.blogspot.com/2013/06/recipes-from-french-guiana.html
- Gastronomy of French Guyana Food & Beverage guide for first time travelers wildexpedition.com/gastronomy-of-french-guyana-food-beverage-guide-for-first-time-travelers/
- The Bread & Soup Project #63 - French Guiana dmperlman.substack.com/p/the-bread-and-soup-project-63-french
- French Guiana Food Guide: Must-Try Dishes, Prices, and Tips www.travelwithhello.com/blog/french-guiana-food-dining-guide
- A taste of French Guiana’s culinary specialties www.france.fr/en/article/a-taste-of-guiana-culinary-specialties/
State: Published after documentary validation; no “Tested” label is shown.